U.S. patent application number 12/427841 was filed with the patent office on 2010-07-01 for e-track connector.
Invention is credited to Timothy Neumann.
Application Number | 20100162538 12/427841 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42283221 |
Filed Date | 2010-07-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100162538 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Neumann; Timothy |
July 1, 2010 |
E-TRACK CONNECTOR
Abstract
An improved e-track connector, or lockdown, is presented that
can be installed in single locations instead of provided in tracks
as in the industry. It also possesses a finished slot that accepts
logistics straps buckles. The slot is a complete rectangle with no
excess material folded under it and has been deburred and finished
smooth. The device also possesses a drain slot along the side of
the tang and drain holes in the buckle receiver such that liquid
will drain out of the connector when it is mounted
horizontally.
Inventors: |
Neumann; Timothy; (Ramona,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STEVEN W. WEBB
825 College Blvd., Suite 102620
Oceanside
CA
92057
US
|
Family ID: |
42283221 |
Appl. No.: |
12/427841 |
Filed: |
April 22, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11544212 |
Oct 6, 2006 |
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12427841 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
24/593.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 7/02 20130101; Y10T
24/45241 20150115; B60P 7/0807 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/593.1 |
International
Class: |
A44B 11/00 20060101
A44B011/00 |
Claims
1. An improved e-track connector, the improved e-track connector
comprised of a single piece of material, the single piece of
material in the shape of a long, flat rectangle, the single piece
of material formed into a buckle receiver and a tang, the buckle
receiver a long hump in the middle of the single piece of material,
the hump formed by pressing or molding, the hump possessing a
buckle receiver slot, the buckle receiver slot sized to accept an
industry-standard buckle on a logistics strap, the edges of the
buckle receiver slot finished smooth by deburring or other abrasive
means, the edges of the buckle receiver slot trimmed of excess
material such that the buckle receiver slot forms a rectangle, the
buckle receiver possessing two drain holes extending from the
interior of the buckle receiver to the exterior of the buckle
receiver, one hole located at one end of the buckle receiver, the
other hole located at the other end of the buckle receiver, the
holes positioned so that fluid may low easily from the interior of
the buckle receiver to the outside of the buckle receiver when the
improved e-track connector is installed in a vertical orientation,
the tang a rim of material surrounding the buckle receiver, the
tang generally flat, the tang possessing a shallow curvature at its
center in parallel with the buckle receiver, this curvature making
a gap approximately 1/32 of an inch wide when the tang is pressed
against a flat surface, this gap permitting liquid to flow out of
the buckle receiver when the improved e-track connector is
installed in a horizontal orientation.
2. The improved e-track connector of claim 1, where the single
piece of material is selected from a list composed of mild steel,
steel, aluminum, brass, titanium, and magnesium.
3. The improved e-track connector of claim 1, where the tang
possesses a plurality of connector holes passing through the tang
sized to fit industry-standard connector devices.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of application
Ser. No. 11/544,212, currently co-pending and now abandoned.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to devices developed to secure
logistics straps to load beds, dollies, or other cargo areas.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to the fittings used in the
transportation industry to secure flexible belts to load rails
mounted on the sides of the containers. The straps are used for
holding the objects in partially loaded containers so that they
will not shift within the container and damage the goods by either
striking the sides of the containers or other items within the
container. The load rails are mounted in such containers as trucks,
railroad cars, airplanes and ship containers.
[0004] The load rails are comprised of sequences of lock-down
points. These points are fitted with connectors referred to as
"e-track" connectors.
[0005] The e-track connectors accept an industry standard buckle on
the end of canvas logistics straps, used to secure cargos. The
straps are wrapped over and around cargo items and then buckled to
the e-track connectors. The straps can then be tightened with
attached winches.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The e-track connector is an industry-standard metal device
that is shaped and cut to accept the buckle end of a standard
logistics strap. The standard e-track connector is made of steel
and is created by forming a steel plate into a rounded, humped
structure and then punching a rectangular hole through the top such
that the edges of the punched hole are forced inward. The connector
is usually made in "tracks" consisting of a plurality of connectors
formed from a single sheet of metal. The metal This leaves a
relatively thin rectangular hole with straight edges along the ends
that accepts the buckle of a logistics strap.
[0007] The hole is essentially unfinished and possesses metal burrs
and irregularities, as well as folded metal extending into the
humped structure along the long ends of the rectangle. The
industry-standard e-track connector is inexpensive to manufacture
because it is unfinished and untrimmed.
[0008] This invention consists of individually-manufactured and
mounted e-track connectors that have been deburred and finished to
remove sharp metal edges. The invention is a single connector with
a plurality of connection means for securing it to the side of a
container, such as an aircraft interior or truck bed. This
individual connector, when attached to the side of a container, is
stronger in terms of its holding capacity and easier to place in
the container.
[0009] The e-track connector of this invention is bolted, glued, or
welded onto a floor or other surface where a logistics strap can be
secured. The invention possesses a technological improvement
consisting of two drainage ports, a slot on the side of the
connector and a pair of holes on the buckle receiver that permit
fluid to drain from within the invention at any orientation.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive
single placement e-track connector that is trimmed and deburred,
improving user safety.
[0011] It is an additional object of this invention to make an
single placement e-track connector that has a self-draining
feature, permitting water and other liquids to drain out of the
enclosure.
[0012] It is an additional object of this invention to make the
present invention in a variety of metals, including mild and
stainless steel, brass, aluminum and lighter metals to address
multiple applications.
[0013] It is an additional object of this invention to allowing the
user to place a single unit where an e-track will not fit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1. Perspective view of the invention with connector
holes
[0015] FIG. 2. Perspective view of the invention suitable for
welding
[0016] FIG. 3. Depiction of the invention used to secure logistics
straps
[0017] FIG. 4. Top view of the invention
[0018] FIG. 5. Side view of the invention
[0019] FIG. 6. End view of the invention
[0020] FIG. 7. cross-section view of the invention
[0021] FIG. 8. Cross-section of standard e-track connector
[0022] FIG. 9. Side cross-section of standard e-track connector
[0023] FIG. 10. cross-section of two copies of invention attached
back-to-back
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the invention 100 consists of a flat
piece of metal pressed into a characteristic shape, consisting of a
tang 101, a buckle receiver 102, a buckle receiver slot 103, and
two connector holes 104. In FIG. 2, an alternate embodiment
possesses a smaller welding tang 105 and no connector holes. The
alternate embodiment would be attached to a surface by welding or
gluing.
[0025] FIG. 3 shows the invention 100 bolted to the floor 111 and
walls 112 of a storage area, with logistics straps 110 restraining
a box 113. Each logistics strap 110 possesses a buckle 114 at each
end that can be inserted into the buckle receiver slot 103 of the
invention 100 and firmly connected.
[0026] Each embodiment of the invention possesses characteristic
drain features, including a drain gap 107 on each side of the
device which is approximately 1/32 of an inch in width when the
invention 100 is bolted or welded down to a flat surface, and two
drain holes 130,131. The drain gap 107 is sufficiently wide to
allow water or other liquids to flow out of the buckle receiver 102
when the invention is placed horizontally on a surface and water
cannot flow out of the buckle receiver slot 103. The drain holes
130,131 allow water to drain out of the buckle receiver 102 when
the invention is installed in a vertical orientation.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 8, the industry-standard e-track connector
120 is manufactured by punching a slot 121 into the buckle receiver
122 like punching a hole in a can with a can opener. This process
leaves folded-over metal remnants 123 lining the long side of the
buckle receiver slot 121. The buckle receiver slot 121 is not
finished and the edges are sharp and rough.
[0028] With the present invention, the long edges 106 of the buckle
receiver slot 103 are trimmed of the excess metal and deburred.
This makes a connector that is less likely to cut human hands or
other equipment that come into contact with the buckle receiver
slot 103.
[0029] As in FIG. 9, in a further alternate embodiment, two of the
inventions 100 can be welded or bolted "back-to-back" 125, with the
tangs 101 contacting each other. This embodiment permits logistics
straps 110 to be extended by providing a "double-female" connector
that accepts the "male" buckles of two straps.
[0030] This invention has other applications, potentially, and one
skilled in the art could discover these. The explication of the
features of this invention does not limit the claims of this
application; other applications developed by those skilled in the
art will be included in this invention.
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